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Did you know there are different types of migraines? Even if you’re someone who suffers from migraines, you might not know about the different types and how they vary from one another.
So, why do you need to know about the specific types of migraines?
There are a few reasons it’s important. First, it helps you better describe your symptoms to your doctor. Second, it can determine your treatment plan. Not all treatments work for all types of migraines.
By gaining a better understanding of your headaches and what type they are, you might be able to more accurately identify what your triggers are.
Broadly, migraines fall into two big categories. There are several other types of migraines, but these more specific types will fall into one of two large groups.
These are:
First, is the type of migraine more commonly experienced by most people—migraine without aura. Migraine without aura was at one point known as the Common Migraine.
Symptoms of migraine without aura include:
Of people who experience migraines, 70 to 90 percent have migraine without aura.
The less common type of migraine is called migraine with aura, previously known as Classic or Complicated Migraine. Migraine with aura is different because a person will have disturbances to their vision and other symptoms that serve as a warning that a migraine is coming.
Anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes before a headache actually starts is usually when someone will have the aura warning signs. The aura phase doesn’t last for more than an hour in most cases.
Symptoms of migraine with aura can include:
Chronic migraine is one specific type of migraine that can be especially hard for people to deal with. The primary feature of chronic migraine is that someone has headaches on more than 15 days a month.
According to the International Headache Society, a chronic migraine not only occurs more than 15 days per month, but it happens over at least three months.
If someone has less than 15 headache days a month, it’s called episodic migraine.
The following are important things to know about this type of migraine:
Menstrual migraine occurs before or with women’s menstruation. Menstrual migraine isn’t the same as having menstruation as a migraine trigger.
The cause of menstrual migraine is believed to be dipping levels of estrogen. This type of migraine is most likely to occur in the two days before a woman begins her period and within the first three days of a period.
A menstrual migraine doesn’t have an aura, and it affects an estimated 10 percent of women. A menstrual migraine may be related to the release of prostaglandin that occurs within the first 48 hours of menstruation, as well as the decline of estrogen.
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Hemiplegic migraine is a rare type of migraine that can cause serious symptoms. It’s actually known as a migraine variant. The following are some things to know about this type of migraine and its effects.
Within the category of hemiplegic migraine, there are two specific kinds. These are the familiar hemiplegic migraine and the sporadic hemiplegic migraine.
A familial hemiplegic migraine is a type of migraine attack that happens in two or more people who are part of the same family. An estimated 50 percent of children with a parent who has hemiplegic migraine will also develop the disorder.
Certain genes are linked to the development of familial hemiplegic migraine.
Another type of migraine is the sporadic hemiplegic migraine. There are symptoms of familial hemiplegic migraine, but there isn’t a known genetic or family relationship. The cause is considered unknown with this type of hemiplegic migraine.
A migraine with brainstem aura is a type of migraine that’s rare. It’s a subtype of migraine with aura, and current research on this type of migraine is fairly limited.
Symptoms of migraine with brainstem aura can include at least two of the following:
This type of migraine was at one point known as a basilar artery migraine as well as a basilar migraine and a basilar-type migraine.
An ocular migraine is a type of migraine headache causing vision loss or blindness temporarily—usually for an hour or less.
While rare, it’s possible for people who have ocular migraines to be at increased risk for permanent vision loss.
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A silent migraine is one where you have all the usual symptoms of a migraine without the head pain. For example, you may have the prodrome phase of a migraine where you experience certain symptoms such as irritation or changes or mood, food cravings, and stiffness in the neck.
People with silent migraines may experience the aura phase and the visual disturbances that come with this.
Other symptoms that can occur with a silent migraine can include:
When someone has a migraine with vertigo, it’s known as migrainous vertigo or vestibular migraine.
The following are some facts about migraine with vertigo:
Headaches with vertigo, balance problems, and dizziness are also known as a vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraines are more common in people who had childhood migraines.
Abdominal migraine is a type of migraine most common in children.
Children aged 5 to 9 are most frequently affected by abdominal migraine, although people of any age can have this type of migraine.
When someone has an abdominal migraine, the symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Many children who have abdominal migraines go onto have migraine headaches in adulthood.
Symptoms and things to know about abdominal migraines include:
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Along with the types of migraines a person may have, headaches can also be broken into different categories.
Types of headaches include:
Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headache people experience. They occur occasionally, and most people have a tension headache every once in a while. Features and symptoms of tension headaches include:
A cluster headache is a recurrent and severe type of headache. Men are six times more likely than women to suffer from cluster headaches, and the pain is often described as piercing or burning. Cluster headache pain tends to occur around one eye.
Symptoms of cluster headaches can include:
An exertional headache is one that occurs because of doing strenuous exercise or activities. Triggers of an exertional headache can include running, weight lifting, jumping, and sexual intercourses. Severe coughing or sneezing can also trigger this type of headache.
Usually, they are short but can last up to two days in some cases.
A chronic daily headache occurs when a person has a headache for more than four hours or more than 15 days a month. People with chronic daily headaches may have them for six months or more.
Possible causes of chronic daily headache can include:
A medication-overuse headache can also be separated into its own category, even though it’s a common reason for chronic daily headaches. If someone uses acute pain relief medications more than twice or three times a week and more than ten days a month, it can create a cycle of medication-overuse headaches.
When someone struggles with this type of headache, they can keep taking medicine to ward off the pain, but that then leads to more headaches. Medication-overuse headaches can occur with both prescription and over-the-counter pain medicine.
A high altitude headache is the main symptom people experience with they have altitude sickness. Along with the headache, when someone has high altitude sickness, they may have symptoms like nausea and loss of appetite as well.
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High altitude headaches tend to have the following characteristics:
The more you learn about the types of migraines and headaches there are, the better able you may be to identify your own symptoms and work toward finding relief and treatment options that will be effective.